Rotary axial valve

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10655534-B2
Application number	US-201815889642-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 6, 2018
Priority date	Feb 6, 2018
Publication date	May 19, 2020
Grant date	May 19, 2020

Abstract

A turbocharger system includes a valve assembly with an inlet, a first outlet, and a second outlet. The inlet is configured for receiving flow of an exhaust gas from an engine. The valve assembly includes a valve structure disposed within a housing. The valve structure is configured to rotate about an axis of rotation between a first position and a second position. The valve structure defines a nonlinear flow passage with an axial upstream end and radial downstream end. The valve structure, in a first position, directs exhaust gas from the inlet to the first outlet and closes off the second outlet. The valve structure, in the second position, directs exhaust gas from the inlet to the second outlet and closes off the first outlet.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A turbocharger system comprising:
a housing defining an inlet, a first outlet, and a second outlet, the inlet configured for receiving flow of an exhaust gas from an engine;
a turbine wheel of a turbocharger that is configured to be driven in rotation by a first flow of the exhaust gas, the first flow received from the first outlet of the housing;
a second exhaust system that is configured to receive a second flow of the exhaust gas, the second flow received from the second outlet of the housing; and
a valve structure that is disposed within the housing;
the valve structure including a body configured to rotate about an axis of rotation between a first position and a second position, the body having a first surface that projects tangentially with respect to the axis of rotation and a second surface that projects tangentially with respect to the axis of rotation;
the valve structure defining a flow passage with an upstream end, a downstream end, and a nonlinear axis that extends between the upstream end and the downstream end, the upstream end directed along the axis of rotation and configured to receive the exhaust gas from the inlet, the downstream end configured to deliver the exhaust gas to one of the first outlet and the second outlet;
the valve structure, in the first position, configured to direct the exhaust gas along the first flow from the upstream end, through the flow passage, to the downstream end and the first outlet for driving the turbine wheel;
the first surface of the body, with the valve structure in the first position, configured to close off the second outlet;
the valve structure, in the second position, configured to direct the exhaust gas along the second flow from the upstream end, through the flow passage, to the downstream end and the second outlet for delivery to the second exhaust system;
the second surface of the body, with the valve structure in the second position, configured to close off the first outlet.

2. The turbocharger system of claim 1 , wherein the valve structure includes the body and a shaft that extends from a downstream face of the body;
wherein the shaft is supported for rotation about the axis of rotation;
wherein the upstream end is included in an upstream face of the body, the upstream face facing opposite the downstream face; and
wherein the downstream face is configured to compress against the housing under a load from the exhaust gas on the body.

3. The turbocharger system of claim 1 , wherein the valve structure includes the body and a shaft that extends from the body;
wherein the shaft is supported for rotation between the first position and the second position;
wherein the body, in the first position, is configured to close off the second outlet; and
wherein the body, in the second position, is configured to close off the first outlet.

4. The turbocharger system of claim 3 , further comprising a bushing with a first portion and a second portion that are spaced apart along the axis of rotation;
wherein the first portion receives the shaft and is received by the valve housing; and
wherein the second portion is received within the body of the valve structure.

5. The turbocharger system of claim 3 ,
wherein the downstream end of the flow passage is disposed between the first surface and the second surface.

6. The turbocharger system of claim 5 , wherein the body has a radial face extending about the axis of rotation;
wherein the first surface and the second surface define respective portions of the radial face.

7. The turbocharger system of claim 5 , wherein at least one of the first surface and the second surface is a planar surface.

8. The turbocharger system of claim 3 , wherein the body includes an upstream face, a downstream face, and a radial face that extends between the upstream face and the downstream face;
wherein the upstream end of the flow passage is defined in the upstream face;
wherein the downstream end of the flow passage is defined in the radial face;
wherein the downstream face opposes an inner surface of the housing.

9. The turbocharger system of claim 1 , further comprising an actuator configured to actuate the valve structure between the first position and the second position.

10. The turbocharger system of claim 9 , further comprising a sensor configured to detect a condition;
further comprising a control system with a processor;
wherein the processor is configured to receive an input from the sensor, the input corresponding to the detected condition; and
wherein the processor is configured to generate a control command for the actuator to actuate the valve structure between the first position and the second position based, at least partly, on the input received by the processor.

11. The turbocharger system of claim 1 , wherein the turbine wheel is supported for rotation within a turbine housing;
wherein the turbine housing includes a plurality of volute structures; and
wherein at least one of the volute structures is configured to receive the first flow of the exhaust gas from the first outlet.

12. The turbocharger system of claim 1 , further comprising an internal combustion engine with a plurality of combustion chambers; and
wherein only one of the plurality of combustion chambers is fluidly connected to the inlet of the housing.

13. The turbocharger system of claim 1 , wherein the second exhaust system is one of an exhaust aftertreatment system and a wastegate assembly.

14. The turbocharger system of claim 1 , wherein the valve structure includes the body and a shaft that extends from a downstream face of the body;
wherein the shaft is received within a bushing that is attached to the housing, wherein the bushing supports rotation of the shaft about the axis of rotation, and wherein the bushing includes an axial end;
wherein the upstream end is included in an upstream face of the body, the upstream face facing opposite the downstream face; and
wherein the downstream face is configured to compress against the axial end of the bushing under a load from the exhaust gas on the body.

15. A method of operating a turbocharger system comprising:
generating, with an engine, an exhaust gas flow directed toward an inlet of a housing, the housing having a first outlet and a second outlet;
selectively rotating, with a control system, a valve structure about an axis of rotation within the housing between a first position and a second position to regulate the exhaust gas flow through the housing, the valve structure including a body and defining a flow passage with an upstream end, a downstream end, and a nonlinear axis that extends between the upstream end and the downstream end, the upstream end directed along the axis of rotation and configured to receive the exhaust gas from the inlet, the downstream end configured to deliver the exhaust gas to one of the first outlet and the second outlet, the body having a first surface that projects tangentially with respect to the axis of rotation and a second surface that projects tangentially with respect to the axis of rotation;
the valve structure, in the first position, directing the exhaust gas flow from the upstream end, through the flow passage, to the downstream end and the first outlet for driving a turbine wheel of a turbocharger, and the first surface of the body closing off the second outlet when the valve structure is in the first position; and
the valve structure, in the second position, directing the exhaust gas flow from the upstream end, through the flow passage, to the downstream end and the second outlet for delivery to a s

Assignees

• Honeywell Int Inc
• Garrett Transportation I Inc

Inventors

• Zatko Miroslav
• Krejci Jaroslav
• Planka Jakub
• Klement Jan

Classifications

• F02B37/22 Primary

  by varying cross-section of exhaust passages or air passages {, e.g. by throttling turbine inlets or outlets or by varying effective number of guide conduits} (F02B37/24 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F02M26/52

  Systems for actuating EGR valves · CPC title

• F02M26/70

  Flap valves; Rotary valves; Sliding valves; Resilient valves · CPC title

• F02M26/51

  EGR valves combined with other devices, e.g. with intake valves or compressors (combined with intake air throttles F02M26/64) · CPC title

• F02M26/05

  High pressure loops, i.e. wherein recirculated exhaust gas is taken out from the exhaust system upstream of the turbine and reintroduced into the intake system downstream of the compressor · CPC title